Thomas Oatway | Ms. Ladd: You Won’t Lead Latinos to the Republican Party This Way

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Ms. Patricia Lara Ladd, in her July 21 commentary, gave us her compelling story of a Latina woman who found business success in America. Unfortunately she also made some political points that need to be challenged.

She stated that: “Historically, Hispanics have become Democrats because they don’t understand the difference between ‘Democratic’ and ‘Democrat.’”

That might not play well with the Latino community, whose intelligence and comprehension of political reality is questioned.

Then she asserted that: “The Republican Party and Hispanics share the same foundation and values: The deep appreciation of the family unit,” etc.

In the era of Donald Trump, the leader of her party, that certainly has to be questioned. Trump allegedly paid off a porn star, Stormy Daniels, and had an affair with a Playboy Playmate, soon after his third wife had given birth to their son Baron. So much for Republican family values. Or perhaps that can be blamed on Democrats, too, because he was at one time a registered Democrat.

Finally, she wrote: “Today’s bright focus on the separation of Hispanic families is a result of the Democrats’ agenda to create a damaged atmosphere for Republicans.”

Thankfully, Democrats, independents and Republicans alike were overwhelmingly opposed to the inhumane and immoral zero tolerance policy of the Trump Administration, leading to his reversal of policy after the public outrage. This was not a politically partisan issue; it was a human rights issue.

Ms. Ladd may not persuade many Hispanics to her party with this kind of rhetoric. It could be a lonely place for her if she intended to create a march of newly minted Republican Hispanics to the polls in November, based on these arguments.

And, stories like hers may become very uncommon if Trump implements an immigration policy that favors white Norwegians and already educated immigrants from countries that he does not disparage.